So it looks like we're being prepared for children not to go back until after Easter

[choosingcrumble]

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/children-face-months-at-home-as-schools-stay-shut-until-easter-wp5ltpm82?fbclid=IwAR1l0gRSzuJLIv508reRmBEojbYfoGOsWwe3_pBFmKpA4EbI1IgC5dKC2uE

I suspected it wouldn't be until then, let's just hope that it doesn't stretch into the summer.

@TiersBeforeBedtime

For anyone interested, there is a petition to re-open schools (I Googled 'petition re-open UK schools' - I can't link to it here as MNHQ will delete my post, but I've signed it).

Perhaps people like Catgirl can choose to home educate, if that's what they wish to do, and the rest of us can have our children back where they belong (i.e. at school).

BTW, I don't have young children (older ones - sixth form/university), and I can't begin to imagine the complete hell of trying to WFH with primary aged children at home.

I hope that petition is ‘re-open schools SAFELY’.

If all the most vulnerable (inc teachers) have been vaccinated by Easter then the risks of children brining home the virus are hugely reduced surely? The impact on these kids is immeasurable not just educationally but developmentally.

If numbers go up in schools I am sure schools will ask for masks in classrooms and that will include Primaries too

As a teacher, personally I wouldn't mind working through summer however, it wouldn't affect just teachers.

Assuming we're not in lockdown, cancelling the summer holidays would impact hospitality, an industry already hanging by a thread. There are also children and families who are struggling, and may be looking forward to some non lockdown, non school directed time where they can get away from the house and actually have some fun for a change.

@DrRamsesEmerson - yes I am vulnerable. So may be more cautious than others. But I also didn't think it was morally right to put his teachers at increased risk either by sending him in when they clearly were not safe environments.

What would the pupil premium for those claiming fsm after October be spent on? Most of them are not even in school. Probably better that it goes towards purchasing tech for those that need it.

@TiersBeforeBedtime I have no desire to home educate.

I want DS back in school as soon as it is safe. Not before.

And vaccinating the teachers doesn't solve this. Just because they are vaccinated does not stop them transmitting it. So then it gets taken home to the non-vaccinated parents.

And even if they started vaccinating teachers now it would take weeks if not months to do and then further weeks for people to have any immunity etc.

People aren’t suggesting their children go back to school tomorrow. We know we’re all doing this to relieve pressure on the nhs until the more vulnerable groups were vaccinated. That was supposed to be by mid February though so a hell of a lot earlier than May!

Is it because the vulnerable getting their vaccination mid February won't get their second dose until May? Talking about May makes me think it might be linked. I'm not unhappy with the 12 week wait, I understand the reasoning but for the very vulnerable it does mean a delay in them being safe. I'm not sure but the dates just seem to add up.

I’d welcome any clarity at this point. It’s the uncertainty that we’re finding hard. If we know we’re homeschooling until May we can plan for it. Mine are enjoying home learning, but I know many are not.

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@BungleandGeorge

What would the pupil premium for those claiming fsm after October be spent on? Most of them are not even in school. Probably better that it goes towards purchasing tech for those that need it.

It means that schools will not receive PP funding for those pupils until September 2022. September next year.

I think you can agree that schools will need money to support those pupils in the meantime.

It’s such a shame that the government failed to put the resources, money and planning into making schools far safer and therefore more sustainable. The plan of continuing as normal with ‘bubbles’ and hand sanitiser was always going to result in schools being unsafe, huge community spread and ultimately schools having to be closed for a prolonged period. Schools in the format they returned in always put students, staff, families and the wider community at risk but the government covered this up until it became impossible to ignore. I fail to understand why the government have such an all or nothing approach when so many other countries have done far more to make schools safer resulting in better control of the pandemic and more consistent learning for children. The government were warned last June that they needed to do far more to protect schools but this was ignored. Now we have a massive death rate, huge damage to the economy and our children are loosing their education. Instead they ploughed money and resources into schemes like eat out to help out and further spreading the virus. The government have ignored the experts at every step of the way and now we have decimated the economy and our children are suffering too. If they’d put health first naturally the economy would have followed. It finally seems like they are starting to realise they need to get this properly under control. I only hope they are planning better processes for when schools return!

Teachers and teaching staff could be vaccinated quite quickly. The vaccination teams currently furloughed are well placed to do the job quickly, given the opportunity.

@CeeJay81

I may get flamed for this but I think kids should be deferred a year. In many European countries they don't start till 6/7 so it would bring us in line with that for new starters, so not a massive deal. The amount of school kids are missing this year it's so unfair on them. My kids are both behind, one is dyslexic and struggles with comprehension. How can they say kids have completed the year when they have barely been there.

This. Really too much time has been lost now. I'm sure reception year never used to exist anyhow, it was nursery at 4 and then school at 5 (not school at 4 like now).

[quote catgirl1976]@thebabewiththepower I honestly think if loads of people start using key worker provision that they don't strictly need the schools will simply refuse places.

Why should they put their staff at increased risk simply because people have had enough of remote learning? It sucks massively but we are in a global pandemic and people are dying.[/quote]
Agree! But my kids’ school has over 40% and many in the same position as me (lone key worker, working from home). I’m trying to do the right thing and was prepared to until half term but I don’t see why those kids should get learning and mine shouldn’t for another half term. I’m going to start to put them first. They can’t refuse me a place if they are allowing others in the same position to do the same.

It’s crappy, but unsurprising

Agree. It will be a while yet I'm afraid.

Betty lots more measures need to be made to make schools safe Er, but why didn't they simply request all dc over a certain age wear a mask?

@DinosaurDiana

Teachers and teaching staff could be vaccinated quite quickly. The vaccination teams currently furloughed are well placed to do the job quickly, given the opportunity.

What vaccination teams are furloughed?? I’m sure the NHS will be interested as they’re currently recruiting cabin crew and lifeguards to do the job

Only if they don’t do the work at home surely.

Piss off, IceCream.
Seriously.

I wonder how many children are already immune anyway. They tend to be asymptomatic. Recent studies showed that immunity from infection lasted 5-8months+ so with all the mixing last term, a good proportion of them might be immune already. It would be an interesting study.

Mine. Not all teams are NHS. They know we are there but haven’t come for us.

Once again leaves women disproportionately affected. If this was to last months there will be women resigning or losing all pay just to cope. Just frankly ridiculous.

If this is true then they need to close the schools for teaching and open them with qualified childcare only.

Child carers ensure key workers (and only actual key workers) kids are looked after and those that are vulnerable.

Then equip all those childcare settings (they can use school premises, unused sports halls whatever) with large screens and set the teachers who are now free to proper full time via video link online learning. Provide devices to everyone who is at home and doesn’t have enough for their kids. Work on paper or workbooks so iPads or whatever can be used properly and it’s not just laptops.

Have you seen the number of posts by parents saying their child couldn’t possibly wear a mask, teachers can’t teach in a mask etc. However, I guess they might change their tune if it meant schools could open after Easter

The amount of infrastructure they were putting in round home learning, laptops.WiFi, ofsted etc always meant we were in for the long haul. It’s probably something likely to be repeated as standard over the next few years in winter too. It’s not going away.

Now we are used to lock downs, infrastructure has been set up across the world economy I think we are likely to see it used in other circumstances esp around the environment eg, high greenhouse gases etc.